CHAPTER 31: HORIZON VS TOYONAKA 1 : BREAKING THE RHYTHM

Score: Horizon 3 – Toyonaka 2

The game had just begun, and already the gym felt like it was ready to burst. Thunderous chants echoed through the rafters. Banners waved violently in the crowd. Both sides came armed with war drums, pounding out a rhythm that matched the chaos on court.

Dirgantara Renji narrowed his eyes across the court. There, standing like an unshakable tower, was Masaki King.

Tall. Calm. Burning with purpose.

The same Masaki who had once led Toyonaka through the nationals. The one people now called "The King of the Court."

"Let’s see what you’ve got now," Masaki muttered under his breath, clapping once. His voice barely reached Dirga, but the meaning was crystal clear.

The game resumed.

Dirga’s mind ticked quickly. In their practice match before the tournament, Horizon had shocked Toyonaka using Dirga’s knowledge of their rigid structure. Maybe... just maybe, they hadn’t adjusted yet.

No harm in testing it.

Dirga brought the ball up and signaled Rikuya for a high screen. If this was the old Toyonaka, Aizawa would get a sliver of space on the weak side to cut in.

He tried it.

Rikuya set the screen. Dirga drove in, scanning for the pass—but nothing. Their center, Haruto, was still deep in the paint, ready to reject anything soft.

With no gap to thread a pass, Dirga shifted gears. He pulled up near the elbow and let it fly.

Swish. 5–2.

Toyonaka’s defense hesitated for a moment, puzzled by the wrinkle in Horizon’s rhythm.

On the other end, Yuto brought the ball up calmly.

Masaki extended his hand, asking for it.

Yuto delivered.

Masaki faced off with Taiga—Horizon’s defensive anchor. But today, Masaki was cooking.

A spin. A fake. A sudden euro step through a narrow gap.

Taiga jumped late, reaching from behind.

Too late.

And-1. 5–5.

Toyonaka ran like a machine—sharp cuts, on-point timing, surgical spacing. Their floor general, Yuto Kobayashi, didn’t just control the ball. He conducted an orchestra.

But Horizon? They played like a jazz band. Unpredictable. Flowing. Improvised chaos.

Dirga took the inbound and exploded forward.

Yuto shadowed him with terrifying precision. A+ defense wasn’t just reactive—it was predictive.

Dirga tried a juke right. Spin left. Hesitation dribble.

Yuto stuck to him like glue.

"Not here," Yuto whispered. "Not today."

Dirga kicked it out to Aizawa, who drove in—straight into Haruto Senda’s waiting arms.

Blocked.

Toyonaka immediately countered. Arakawa drew in two defenders, then kicked it back to Masaki at the arc.

Pull-up.

Swish. Horizon 5 – Toyonaka 8.

"There he is!" the commentator called out. "Masaki King with his signature pull-up. It’s clean, cold, and brutal."

"And remember—this is personal. Horizon beat Toyonaka in a pre-tournament practice game. Today isn’t just a final. It’s revenge."

Dirga clenched his jaw.

He tried another pick-and-roll with Rikuya. Toyonaka switched instantly—Daichi Fukuda, their freshman phenom, locked onto Dirga.

No openings.

He stepped back and fired a pass to Rei—tipped by Yuto.

Rei recovered it and fired a contested three.

Clank.

Masaki rebounded and launched a bullet downcourt to Daichi.

Foul. And-1.

Horizon 5 – Toyonaka 11.

Coach Tsugawa didn’t panic.

"Stay the course," he said. "They’re machines. But machines can’t improvise. We can."

Dirga nodded.

Next time up, he didn’t attack. He slowed down. Let Rei loop through a screen. Masaki stepped forward to close off the pass.

Fake.

Aizawa slashed behind his man.

No-look bounce pass. Layup.

Horizon 7 – Toyonaka 11.

The crowd buzzed. The Maestro was back.

But Toyonaka kept pressing.

Masaki and Senda double-teamed Rikuya in the post. They bodied him, pushed him off his spots. Rei missed a three. Masaki rebounded again.

Another full-court pass. This time to Shunpei.

Layup.

Then Yuto pushed the pace and attacked the rim.

Dirga took a deep breath.

This wasn’t the same Toyonaka from before.

Still—he wasn’t the same either.

He crossed half-court and broke the press with a deadly crossover, slipping past Yuto.

Drive.

Dish.

Rikuya dunk.

Horizon 10 – Toyonaka 14.

But Masaki? He smirked.

"You’re not the only one who’s changed," he said as he walked it up.

Step-back from beyond the arc.

Bang. 10 – 17.

The gym erupted.

Dirga fired back. He threaded a pass to Hiroki in the corner—miss.

Taiga grabbed the board. Out to Rei.

Splash. 13 – 17.

Yuto came back with a sneaky floater in traffic.

13 – 19.

Dirga took the inbound again, heart thundering. He forced a drive.

Masaki read it.

Strip.

Fast break. Kick to Daichi.

Layup.

13 – 21.

Coach Tsugawa still didn’t call timeout.

He trusted them to find rhythm.

Dirga finally found it.

He juked Yuto with a decoy screen, split defenders, and delivered a behind-the-back bounce pass to Aizawa.

Finish through contact.

And-1. 16 – 21.

Masaki came back again.

Pull-up jumper. Miss.

But Senda grabbed the board.

Kick out.

Masaki again—fadeaway from the wing.

Bucket. 16 – 23.

Final minute.

Dirga found Rei again. Mid-range jumper.

18 – 23.

Masaki—again. Pull-up from the same spot.

Three. 18 – 26.

Ten seconds left.

Dirga drove hard. Eyes locked on Masaki—then flipped a full-court bounce pass.

Aizawa caught it in stride.

Layup.

Buzzer.

End of first quarter: Horizon 20 – Toyonaka 26.

The gym buzzed like a hive.

Dirga stared across the court.

So did Masaki.

The war had only just begun.